history Archives - Page 3 of 9

September 13, 2025December 17, 2025

Cullykhan Bay in Aberdeenshire

I love Cullykhan Bay

Near the village of Pennan, Cullykhan is a place that has long been appreciated by people, so it has a rich history. To the left of the sandy and sheltered beach lies an impressive promontory.

It’s been home to an Iron Age fort, now vitrified, and a medieval castle. Excavations have uncovered Neolithic and Roman finds (read more about these on the Canmore site).

From the promontory, you can see the Deil’s Lum (meaning devil’s chimney). This cave shoots sea spray with a roar during stormy weather.

The Deil's Lum, a cave at Cullykhan Bay.

It’s a place – promontory, bay and caves – that I write about quite a lot.

In THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, Isobell, Jasper and Ian have to cross the inside of the Deil’s Lum before following a tunnel to the castle. The tunnel is fictional, and so is my description of the interior of the cave, or rather it’s stolen from just around the corner.

As is my way, in the name of research, I have explored every tunnel and cave that is remotely accessible by land at Cullykhan.

This one leads to a dark and seagull-filled space… and it’s this space that I made the characters traverse, after slipping and sliding across it myself, of course.

Isobell, at least, did not enjoy the experience:

The truth was that caves and tunnels were more fun when told of beside a fireside, in dry clothes with a full belly. The reality of them – the cold, the wet, the dripping and the echoing, and the smell of decay – was only startling. The roof looked as if a huge ogre had wielded a knife inside the cliffs, cutting and carving to his heart’s content, but the idea contained no mirth, nor even any interest. And what lay ahead in this new life of ours?
Excerpt from THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR

Climbing to the Cave

Staring at the entrance of the Deil’s Lum from across the divide wasn’t enough for me, so one day I slid down the hill and climbed up into it. This is foolhardy behaviour, and not recommended, but I made a short video so you can see the cave without risking your own life and limb.

Writing Cullykhan

Cullykhan features heavily in the 1st century story of SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD. I loved writing about this beautiful place, capturing the essence of it in words. I took its great magnificence, and its beauty, and swirled them around, adding terrible, strange and unexpected events into the mix.

Cave opening at Cullykhan — Light and dark at Cullykhan…

I was honoured to appear on two wonderful websites recently: in an interview on Sue’s Musings here, and on Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore.

Sisters at the Edge of the World

Set in 1st century Scotland, and featuring the cliffs and caves of Cullykhan Bay, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book has a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…

“Ethereal and spellbinding…” Historical Novel Society

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Amazon Worldwide

See the press release here

Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

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September 12, 2025September 16, 2025

Fedderate Castle in Aberdeenshire

I stopped to take a photo of Fedderate Castle near New Deer on my little road to winter journey. It dates from 1474, but there’s not much left of it today. The castle is a protected monument now, but before it gained that status, there was an attempt to blow it up as it was seen “as an impediment to agriculture.” It stands tall, a beautiful and distinctive shape in the landscape. The over-wintering crop around it is only slightly impeded, I think.

Medieval re-enactor Andrew Spratt took an older image of mine and created this rather wonderful GIF of the castle through the ages and the seasons:

Fedderate Castle near New Deer, Aberdeenshire (Scotland) @AilishSinclair image & reconstruction of L-Plan Keep held by Irvine and Gordon families. Plan is very much like Neidpath in the Borders. #FedderateCastle #ScottishCastles #HistoryRebuilt pic.twitter.com/w6bJu4369V
— Andrew Spratt (@andrewsp2009) September 28, 2023

Fedderate Castle on Canmore

The Mermaid and the Bear

If you like castles, Scotland, history, witches, stone circles and Christmas done medieval-style, you might like THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. There’s also a love story.

“A delight from end to end…” Undiscovered Scotland

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New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland from the Press and Journal.

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A celebratory dance in a stone circle. Ballet foot en pointe.

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September 11, 2025December 17, 2025

The Alligators and Follies of Pitfour Estate

Summer at Pitfour Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

I’ve visited Pitfour Estate many times over the years. It’s a great place to walk, though less well known than the nearby Aden Park. I have photos from various years and various seasons. That’s summer above. Remember summer?

History of Pitfour Estate

The estate was purchased in 1700 by James Ferguson of Badifurrow, who became the first Laird of Pitfour. He and his descendants developed the land, building various bridges and follies. The observatory in Drinnie’s Wood used to be part of the estate too, having been built to watch horse racing on the nearby race track (now a forest).

The Temple of Theseus

One of the follies was a bathhouse built to look like a Temple of Theseus, seen from across the lake below.

The fifth Laird, an extravagant man who liked his luxuries, is said to have kept pet alligators in it. The interior:

The inside of the Temple of Theseus at Pitfour Estate. Home to alligators?

Looking out over the lake from behind the pillars of the temple, on another summer’s day:

Pitfour in the Mist

The lake is used by a local fishing club today. You often see jumping fish.

I have a great many pictures, so I intend to share some more of them in my next newsletter: swans, another folly and some more mist. Hopefully that’ll go out in the next few days, if my current writing project releases me for long enough to do it! Go here to sign up for the newsletter.

Mermaid and Fireflies Reviews

Mallee Stanley shared reviews of THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR and FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE on her Read and Write blog recently. “”What makes both these books fascinating reads, is that they are based on dark historical events relating to Aberdeen.” See the whole review here.

Latest Book

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD features some forbidden romance.

He’s a Roman. She’s a Celt.

Set in 1st century Scotland, this is a story of chosen sisters, fierce warriors, divided loyalties and love.

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The Romans called it the edge of the world

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September 1, 2025November 13, 2025

Macbeth’s Hillock and the Three Witches

Macbeth’s Hillock

A couple of miles from the town of Forres in Moray is a mound known as Macbeth’s Hillock. Local folklore tells us that this is where Macbeth met with the three witches from the play.

‘By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.’
So pronounces the second witch in Macbeth, Act 4, scene 1.

The Three Witches

The theme of the three witches is echoed in more folklore from the surrounding area. There are two stones in Forres that are both associated with them.

The Sueno’s Stone

Sueno's Stone in Forres, possible site of Macbeth's Hillock — In its glass case

This is a 9th-10th century Picto-Scottish stone depicting an ancient battle (I like to think it’s Mons Graupius as featured in SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, but this is very unlikely given how long ago that battle took place). The stone is 6.5 metres tall and also lays claim, in local legend, to be situated where Macbeth met the witches. They are said to have been captured inside the stone, and should it ever be broken, they will be released.

Battle side of the Sueno's Stone in Forres, possible site of Macbeth's Hillock — Battle side

Cross side of the Sueno's Stone in Forres, possible site of Macbeth's Hillock — Celtic Cross side

The Witches Stone

A rather more gruesome stone, and story, sits outside the police station on the main road in Forres. It has become a small shrine.

There were originally meant to be have been three stones marking the final resting places of three women who were executed for witchcraft. The one remaining stone is held together with a piece of metal.

More Witch Stones

The Witch Stone near Fraserburgh

The Hanging Stone on Gallows Hill by Rosehearty

Three Witches in The Mermaid and the Bear

There’s just something about ‘three witches’. I chose to write about three real women who were accused of witchcraft in 1597 in my debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. I spent a year researching all the various aspects of the history. You can read about the general, and sometimes obsessive and bizarre, research in my article Researching Historical Fiction: Immersing Oneself in the Past on the Women Writers site. There’s some witchy research here, some stolen castle bits here and the search for a villain in this monstrous post.

The Mermaid and the Bear is a story of triumph over evil, hope through adversity, faith in humankind and – above all – love.

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From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland

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August 30, 2025September 16, 2025

A Spooky and Serendipitous Week

It always feels a little spooky at this time of year. The shops are full of monsters and items that have been ‘Halloweenified.’ The clocks go back an hour here in the UK, making the nights instantly much darker. I feel a little monstrous again, but I’m boring myself with that, so I won’t detail it here.

An Alternative Halloween Article

Should we really have fun at Halloween when the north-east led the great execution of witches?

Excellent piece from @NeilDrysdale. I cite the case of Bessie Thom in the article, a woman who features in THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, as an example of what happened to one of the more than 3,000 victims of the witch trials.

“Bessie, quite possibly, went into the North Sea before being committed to the flames during a very public execution.”

Less Spooky, More Serendipitous

The Wee Writing Lassie asked me this question on her blog last week (about TENDU): Amalphia’s story takes place in the beautiful and cutthroat world of professional ballet – what inspired the decision to set her story in that particular backdrop?

My answer: When I was first considering writing a contemporary romance, I was unsure exactly where to place it. Inspiration struck while I was lying in the bath contemplating the issue. I saw a line of dancers in my mind. They were at the barre performing ronde de jambe, a circular leg exercise, and I knew the ballet world would be the setting for the story. My own dance training and career provided many of the details, and everything grew from there.

The serendipity: the picture above is almost identical to the image that appeared in my mind thirteen years ago. It arrived in my house, totally unexpectedly, in beautiful wall-mounted form, the day before TENDU released. Some lovely people, who I don’t even know that well, thought I might like it. I can see it from my desk now. And it’s a wonderful reminder that, even though bad or spooky things happen in this world, magic happens too.

The Books of this Post

Set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, Ailish Sinclair’s debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.

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Scotland’s all misty lochs and magical forests and perfect boyfriends, right?

When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her charismatic new teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his school in Scotland…

Dark, witty, sexy and fun, Tendu is a compelling and seductive story of love, dance and obsession.

“I fell in love with the book from the first page, and the love affair continued to the end.” Review from Lena on Goodreads.

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August 29, 2025September 16, 2025

The Bear of Netherton Stone Circle

The title is a little misleading. There was no actual bear in Netherton Stone Circle. There sort of was. Like in The Mermaid and the Bear. You’ll see.

* Actual bears are available in Fireflies and Sisters

Visiting Netherton Stone Circle

This was the first time I’d ever been in this circle. It’s right beside farm buildings, and you have to ask permission to walk through the farmyard to the stones. There’s a great farm shop, so I shopped for local tatties and asked in there.

The circle had a wall and fence round it. No gate. I hoisted myself over these barricades and into the wilderness that surrounds the stones. It was rather lovely. Muted light. Pink granite everywhere. Trees that seemed to be the same colour as the stones.

The Bear

I noticed that one of the photos I’d taken had that paw print icon, indicating that Siri had spotted an animal. Thinking I’d maybe missed a farm cat, I clicked on it.

It looks like there may have been a few cases of mistaken identity!

And… a Deer

I didn’t notice that these stones looked like a deer lying down until people pointed it out on Twitter.

I loved the moss.

And the shape of the recumbent and flankers:

There’s some rather nice photos of the stones among bluebells on Canmore

A Dancer’s Journey Series: no bears, but there is a stone circle!

A Dancer's Journey, a 3 book series by Ailish Sinclair

He’s a damaged diva, used to getting his own way. She’s an autistic ballet girl who speaks her truth without tact. What could possibly go wrong?

Amazon UK

Amazon worldwide

Romantic Suspense
Age-gap Romance
Secret Relationship
Set in Scotland and London
Completed series

“I could feel what the characters were feeling, feel their pain; it broke my heart and then healed it and made it sing.” Amazon review

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Scottish author Ailish Sinclair — Ailish

See the About Page here

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August 29, 2025August 29, 2025

The Nine Castles of the Knuckle

Inverallochy Castle

I walked across the stubbly field to Inverallochy Castle at the weekend. It’s one of the nine castles of the knuckle, a term coined by historian William Douglas Simpson. It refers to nine ancient castles built along the rocky (knuckle-like) coast of Buchan in NE Scotland. I’ve been to most of them, so here we go!

Close-up of Inverallochy, a Comyn family castle, dating from 1504:

Apparently there used to be a stone above the door stating that the land around the castle “was obtained by Jordan Comyn for building the abbey of Deer.” Deer Abbey and its older site are some miles away – I wrote about the Abbey here – so that’s a little odd. Maybe ancient plans changed, or the inscription was incorrect. The stone disappeared in the 18th century.

Medieval re enactor and ‘Man at Arms’ Andrew Spratt made this GIF showing how the castle used to look:

Inverallochy Castle, one of the nine ‘castles of the knuckle’ here in NE Scotland @AilishSinclair post turned into a reconstruction mock-up. #InverallochyCastle #ScottishCastles #HistoryRebuilt pic.twitter.com/OXGrK38wJW
— Andrew Spratt (@andrewsp2009) August 26, 2025

Rattray and Lonmay

We’re going to head north from Inverallochy. There were two knuckle castles south of here – Lonmay and Rattray – but they have crumbled away to nothing. I have written about the ancient chapel at Rattray, and its pirate steps, here.

Cairnbulg Castle

Next up the coast is Cairnbulg Castle, one of the oldest buildings in Aberdeenshire still to be inhabited by the family that built it. It’s home to Lady Saltoun, Chief of the name and arms of Fraser.

The Wine Tower

Not actually a castle, but one of the nine anyway, the Wine Tower in Fraserburgh is a post-reformation Catholic chapel. See my post here

Kinnaird Castle

And right next to the wine tower is Kinnaird Castle with a lighthouse built within. I’ve written about it here (ghost story included). It’s part of the wonderful Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

Pittulie Castle

On we go to Pittulie Castle, thought to date from 1596, the year that my novel The Mermaid and the Bear begins, so I have an extra fondness for this castle. In the 18th century the owner was friends with the lovely Lord Pitsligo who lived next door.

Pitsligo Castle

This castle started out as a keep (the high part on the right above) in 1424 but expanded greatly over the centuries. See my post on it here.

Dundarg Castle

Sadly, I have no photos of the last of the nine castles of the knuckle, Dundarg, as it’s on private land right by a house. It sits on a promontory within the ramparts of an Iron Age fort. It’s referenced from the 10th century, though only the gatehouse remains today.

The Mermaid and the Bear

Lost in ancient woodlands and caught up in whispers of witchcraft, Isobell must navigate danger to reclaim her life. Can she find her happily ever after?

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“A delight from end to end…” Undiscovered Scotland

Newsletter and Free Story

You will receive a free short story when you sign up for my occasional, more-intimate-than-the-blog newsletter (the story can be read in a browser too).

The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

New Books and Special Offers

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August 28, 2025December 17, 2025

Is the Real Stone of Scone Hidden at Finlaggan?

Stone, though not the real Stone of Scone, at Finlaggan

That’s definitely not the real Stone of Scone above. It’s an ancient standing stone at Finlaggan on the Isle of Islay.

But is the official stone, the one pictured below, the real stone? See BBC article about this stone as it heads south to be used in the latest coronation.

History of the Real Stone of Scone

The Stone of Scone, or Stone of Destiny, was used in the inauguration of Scottish Kings for centuries. In 1296 the English King, Edward I, took the stone from Scotland and incorporated it as part of his new ‘Coronation Chair’. Or did he?

Fobbed Off and Spirited Off?

Early mentions of the stone describe it as black and shiny, polished and beautiful. It’s rumoured that Edward was fobbed off with a worthless rock that was actually a drain cover, while the real stone was spirited off and hidden safely away.

One legend states that the original stone was buried at Finlaggan, the medieval Seat of the Lordship of the Isles, by Angus Og of Clan Donald.

Finlaggan is a quiet and remote place. It’s easy to believe that it might hide secrets.

grave at finlaggan. Is the real stone of scone hidden here?

An archaeological dig there was abandoned when money ran out.

Finlaggan, the site of the real stone of scone?

If the stone is at Finlaggan, I suspect it might be on the Council Island, the place of important discussions and decisions. Maybe the island was also the site of a few laughs about kingly bottoms sitting over what was actually a drain plug?

Historical Novel Society Review of Sisters

“In the vein of Lucy Holland’s Sistersong with the narrative style of Rena Rossner’s The Sisters of the Winter Wood, Sinclair’s novel centers on two sisters and is told from Morragh’s point of view. The prose is deeply personal to Morragh’s struggles.”

See the whole review here

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Amazon Worldwide/Barnes & Noble

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August 22, 2025December 2, 2025

Culloden Moor and the Clava Cairns

This post details a 2014 trip to Culloden Battlefield and the nearby Clava Cairns.

Off We Go

A bright blue sky day. Good for a journey up the coast and into the past. I stopped to take a picture of the anchor on the hill in Macduff.

A couple of hours and many miles later, the skies had clouded.

Culloden Moor

The visitor centre at Culloden is high-tech, swish, clean and pristine, all the things the bloody battle of the past was not. The contrast always gets me. I sit on a soft red sofa looking out at the battlefield, eating my delicious lentil soup and enjoying decadent chocolate cake in comfort and warmth.

Compare that to being one of the Jacobite clansmen, having marched across boggy rough terrain in the dark all night, exhausted, starving, about to be slaughtered in a fight so unfairly matched that it was all over in one hour. What would he think of Culloden Moor today and the nice day out it provides for families and tourists?

Out on the battlefield, things feel more authentic, more memorial. Red flags mark the government line:

Clan stones over mass graves:

Old Leanach Cottage is dated about 1760, several years after the battle, but is said to stand on the site of an earlier cottage that was used as a field hospital for government troops:

People leave offerings:

After a little look at the peaceful, cud-chewing, Highland cattle, it’s time to visit some ancient standing stones.

The Clava Cairns

Here ancient burial cairns (estimated at about 4000 years old) are surrounded by circles of stone and trees. It’s the perfect peaceful place to visit after Culloden.

You can walk right into two of the three cairns, though the entrance tunnel would have been covered in the past: you would have had to crawl.

Some of the standing stones are high and shaped, rather like enormous graves:

Let’s finish with one of the aforementioned Highland Coos. There’s four of them in a field next to Culloden.

Also see the post about the Cumberland Stone.

Cumberland Stone, by Culloden in the Scottish Highlands

Historical Fiction

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair

Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance!

“Ethereal and spellbinding…” Historical Novel Society

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

See the press release here

Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.

See the press release here

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

From the Press and Journal: New book by Fraserburgh author highlights horrific extent of witch trials in Scotland

Fireflies and Chocolate by Ailish Sinclair

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, out April 1st, is set at the time of Culloden and inspired by the kidnapped children and young people of Aberdeen. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!

See the publisher’s Press Release here

Amazon UK

Amazon Worldwide

“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society

A Dancer’s Journey – unconventional romance

A Dancer's Journey, a 3 book series by Ailish Sinclair. Unconventional romance.

My dance background and love of history and spicy stories are what inspired this wild mix of romance and ballet set between a Scottish castle and London.

There are no cliffhanger endings in this series; each book completes a story, but then there is more. So much more. Read all the blurbs here

When dance student Amalphia Treadwell embarks on a secret relationship with her charismatic new teacher, she has no idea of the danger that lurks in his school in Scotland…

Series on Amazon UK

Series on Amazon worldwide

Book covers of A Dancer's Journey series by Ailish Sinclair: celebratory dance.

Posts on the inspiration behind these stories:

Dance Research in the Dungeon
Working Girl: a WordPress Prompt Goes Dark
Pointe Work and a Red Leotard
Chosen Sisters: Friendship and Dance
A Snaggled, Barbourous Place
There’s also this strange little post about what the characters of A Dancer’s Journey get up to when I’m away from the keyboard.

A Dancer's Journey series by Ailish Sinclair

See my About Page here

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Go here to sign up for occasional emails that always include some exclusive photos and news of my writing and life. They’re a more intimate space than the blog. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.

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August 20, 2025August 20, 2025

The Warld’s End, Fraserburgh

The Warld’s End (World’s End) is said to be the oldest house in Fraserburgh. I’m not sure if that’s strictly true. It was rebuilt in 1766 after being seized from its Jacobite owner and sold. I don’t think it’s known quite how old the original building was. It played host to Jacobite plotting and was one of the hiding places of Lord Pitsligo after Culloden.

The blue plaque by the door mentions the fact that the land in front of the house was reclaimed from the sea. The house would have stood much closer to the harbour’s edge originally, hence its name, Warld’s End. The plaque also commemorates the Fraserburgh-born merchant Thomas Blake Glover, who may or may not have been the inspiration for the bad guy in the opera Madame Butterfly.

The Warld's End, Fraserbugh. Bright yellow door, grey-stone house

It’s a lovely old house, made all the more striking by the recently painted yellow door. It used to be dark blue as you can see in this older picture of the under-step window:

The Warld's End, showing a small, square window under the door and steps.

If you enjoyed this ‘old building’ post, you might also like the one about The Wine Tower, the actual oldest building in Fraserburgh.

Fireflies and Chocolate

Torn out of an isolated life in a Scottish castle, Elizabeth embarks on a determined quest to return home. Exhilarating adventures unfold on the high seas, love blossoms, and the chocolate, purchased in Benjamin Franklin’s printing shop, is delicious!

FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 600 children and young people who were kidnapped from Aberdeen during the 1740s and sold into indentured servitude in the American Colonies.

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“Filled with excitement and suspense…” Historical Novel Society Editor’s Pick

From the press release: “We really love working with Ailish,” says Wendy Lawrance, co-founder of GWL Publishing. “She knows how to write characters and place, she does her research, and it shows in every word she puts to paper. In Fireflies and Chocolate, Ailish has tackled the difficult topic of slavery with a deft hand. Nothing is sugar-coated. She doesn’t hold back in showing the cruelty of the times, but her characters lead the rallying cry against their tormentors, and it’s impossible not to want to join them. She’s created a true heroine in Elizabeth Manteith. Fiery and forthright, Elizabeth isn’t someone to be argued with. She knows her own mind, and isn’t afraid to speak it. Through her experiences, the reader sees her grow from a girl, into a woman with a powerful voice… a woman of her time, but very much of ours too.”